Toilet tank tray support



Oct. 25, 1955 H. SANDERS TOILET TANK TRAY SUPPORT Filed Nov. 19, 1952 INVENTOR 7 HARRY SANDERS AT TORNEYS TOILET TANK TRAY SUPPORT Harry Sanders, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application November 19, 1952, Serial No. 321,439

1 Claim. (Cl. 4-252) This invention appertains to drip basins and the like, and more particularly to a pan for catching water of condensation dripping from the flush tanks of water closets, whereby to prevent damage to floors, etc.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a drip pan which can be associated with a toilet of the type in which the flush tank is supported upon the flush throat extension of the bowl, with means for supporting the pan from the bowl and under the tank in such a manner that the supporting means will not detract from the appearance of the toilet.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide means for supporting a drip pan for the flush tank of a toilet bowl by the use of a pair of supporting straps or arms which can be rigidly secured in place by the use of the standard bolts employed for holding the toilet seat and its hinges on the bowl, the construction of the arms or straps being such that the swinging of the straps or arms on the bolts will be prevented.

A further important object of my invention, is to provide means whereby the pan can be adjusted back and forth on the arms or straps toward and away from the bowl and transversely of the straps, whereby the pan can be accurately positioned relative to the tank, so that the pan and its supports can be used with various makes of toilets.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing,

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the drip pan in its operative position relative to the tank and bowl of a toilet.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, the view showing the pan in bottom plan and the novel adjusting means employed.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figures 1 and 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter P generally indicates my improved drip pan for the flush tank 5 of a toilet T.

The toilet T also includes the bowl 6 and the tank 5 is supported upon the rearwardly directed flush throat extension 7 of the bowl 6. The bowl 6 on each side of the flush throat extension 7 is provided with vertical openings 8 for the reception of bolts 9 employed for holding the seat 10 and its hinges 11 on the bowl. The bolts 9 are normally held in position by nuts 12 threaded on the bolts against the lower surface of the throat extension 7.

Now, referring more particularly to the pan P, the same is preferably, but not necessarily, stamped or pressed from metal into the desired shape and size for fitting under the flush tank 5. The pan includes a bottom wall 13 surrounded by a marginal flange 14. In accordance with the invention, the front edge of the pan is provided with a centrally disposed inwardly directed cut-out portion 15 tes Patent 0 ice for receiving the flush throat extension 7 and the rear edge of the tank is provided with a notch 16 for receiving a pipe 17 extending down from the tank 5. The pan P can be provided with other refinements, (not shown), and which are not pertinent to this invention.

The lower surface of the bottom wall 13 of the pan P has welded, or otherwise secured thereto, longitudinally extending guide tracks 18 and 19, and these tracks are disposed on opposite sides of the cut-out portion 15. Eachtrack slidably receives the head 20 of a depending bolt 21, for a purpose which will later appear. I

In order to effectively support the pan P, I employ a pair of substantially horizontally disposed arms or straps 22. These arms extend under the pan and across the guide rails or tracks 18 and 19. The forward ends of the arms are provided with offset feet 23, defining shoulders 24. The feet are provided with openings for receiving the bolts 9. In applying the arms and the pan P to the toilet, the nuts 12 of the bolts are removed and the feet are placed on the bolts with the shoulders 24 against the rear edge of the throat extension 7. The nuts 12 are now firmly tightened on the bolts and swinging of the arms on the bolts is prevented by the engagement of the shoulders 24 with the rear edge of the bowl.

- Each of the arms is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 25 for receiving the shank of the headed bolts 21 mounted in the guide tracks 18 and 19. Winged, or like nuts 26, can be threaded on the bolts 21 tight against the arms 22 to hold the pan in an adjusted position on the arms. By loosening the winged nuts 26, it can be seen that the pan can be slid back and forth on the arms 22 or across the arms and when the pan is in the best position relative to the tank, the winged nuts are tightened.

While I have shown tracks 18 and 19 for permitting adjustment of the pan P longitudinally of the flush tank 5, it is to be understood that in certain instances these tracks can be eliminated and the bolts 21 rigidly secured directly to the pan. In this case, the pan P can still be slid back and forth on the arms for adjustment and the arms themselves, within certain limits can be swung on the bolts 9 of the bowl before the tightening up of the nuts 12.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple and durable means for supporting a drip pan in proper relation to a flush tank from the bowl of the toilet. The construction is such, that the pan can be placed in position by the ordinary householder without the use of special tools.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is: p

A drip pan attachment for the flush tank of a toilet comprising a body of a size and shape to conform to the bottom configuration of a flush tank, a pair of spaced horizontally disposed arms extending under the body, said arms having offset feet defining stop shoulders for engaging the rear edge of a toilet bowl, said feet having openings for receiving the bolts of the toilet seat, said arms having longitudinally extending slots, guide tracks rigidly secured to the lower surface of the body extending longitudinally thereof and transversely of the arms, headed bolts slidably mounted in the guide tracks having shanks extending through the slots, and nuts threaded on said shanks against said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 368,828 Gould Aug. 23, 1887 2,469,531 Toth et al. May 10, 1949 2,541,434 Nelson et al Feb. 13, 1951 2,542,338 Laufenberg Feb. 20, 1951 

